Maintaining a healthy body depends largely on the types of food that you eat. Superfoods are a good choice, as they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients, helping you take care of your body and maintain its well-being. However, what superfoods should you be eating? Here are just a few you can incorporate into your diet.
Seaweed
You might be thinking, How in the world am I supposed to work seaweed into my diet? Dont fret one word will solve this problem: sushi. The majority of sushi rolls are wrapped in seaweed, making it easy to get all of those omega-3 fatty acids. RealSimple.com said that seaweed provides the body with plenty of minerals like calcium, zinc, potassium, iron, iodine and magnesium. So, even if you might not incorporate seaweed into your diet every single day, you can feel less guilty about ordering that extra sushi roll for the table on your night out.
Tomatoes
According to Health.com, tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant that helps protect your body from UV rays. Lycopene also helps lower your bodys cholesterol levels. You can incorporate tomatoes into any of your three meals and snacks; layer them on some toast at breakfast, throw them in your salad at lunch or mix some sun-dried tomatoes into your chicken recipe for dinner. In addition to the lycopene, tomatoes are chock-full of fiber, potassium and vitamin C.
Cacao Powder
Surprise! Chocolate is good for you. However, before you run to the store and buy all the Hershey bars you can find, make sure you read the labels. Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian for RealSimple.com, says most store-bought chocolate has been heavily processed, removing the antioxidants present in pure cacao/cocoa powder. In its purest form, cacao powder helps lower blood pressure and increases blood flow for proper circulation to the organs. So, yes, you can incorporate some more chocolate into your diet this way; but instead of buying a box of brownies from the store, try making them at home using natural cacao powder in your recipe.
Salmon
While salmon is not as easy to incorporate into your diet on a daily basis, it is a superfood that you can at least enjoy several times a week. According to Health.com, salmon provides your body with a nutrient it cant produce on its own: omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol levels and assist with blood circulation. It is also rumored that omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Moderation is key when incorporating any kind of food into your diet, but knowing some of the key superfoods−and what they can do for you−can help you when making health-based decisions. So order the sushi roll, grill up some salmon or have a brownie (or two). You can feel a little less guilty knowing youre getting those important vitamins and nutrients.